


Christmas Shoes

by myonetruelove



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 03:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13137699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myonetruelove/pseuds/myonetruelove
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Clarke has found herself at the department store in line behind a young boy with a sad story that breaks her heart. Little does she know how much that little boy will change her life.Based on the song "Christmas Shoes"





	Christmas Shoes

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to do a Christmas story and I love Alabama's take on this song. My beta Ashley (loveyoubeyondhope on Tumblr) did a quick turn around on it for me so that I could post it. And I'm getting it (barely) posted on Christmas Eve like I wanted. I can't wait to see what you guys think!!

Clarke sighed as she moved out of the way of a frazzled looking woman whose arms were overloaded with toys. Christmas Eve was the worst time to be at the small department store in Arkadia. It was the only place that anyone could get  their last minute gifts just like Clarke. She hadn’t meant to forget to get gifts for her mom and Marcus, but the last month had been a bit frantic for her.

 

When she left Arkadia at 18 she had sworn that she would never come back. Her mom always  came to visit her in New York where she’d attended college, med school, and had her residency. But here she was 12 years later, moving back so that she could start to take over Abby’s private practice so that Abby could have more time to spend with her new husband. The two wanted to be able to travel and couldn’t do that without someone to take over their practices - Abby’s medical practice and Marcus’s legal practice. Marcus had been training a young lawyer to take over for him, although Clarke hadn’t heard who it was. She honestly hadn’t wanted to know. She’d cut ties with all of her childhood friends when she left for college and she wasn’t sure how well she would be received now that she was back.

 

She had been back for two weeks and hadn’t gone out anywhere beyond the practice and now the department store. On top of being afraid of what her old friends would say now that she was back, she was also nursing a broken heart. Lexa, her girlfriend of five years, had ended things with her when she’d realized that Clarke was serious about moving back to Arkadia. Lexa had often looked down on Clarke’s choices, first her choice to go into general practice instead of the surgical path like Lexa had. 

 

Lexa had been a perfectionist and she’d often nitpicked Clarke ’s choices . She didn’t like her friends from college or her choice of clothing. At the time Clarke had thought that she was just trying to make her better, but once things had ended she had come to realize that Lexa was just trying to change her into someone else-- and she had let her. It had left her feeling down about herself and it made her not want to confront her past. 

 

She looked down and decided that she had enough gifts. She knew that both Marcus and Abby would understand that  they were  last minute gifts. She felt bad, but it was a little  too  late to correct that now. It was almost time for the store to close so she headed to the cash registers. The line was long, but she’d known that it would be.

 

She pulled out her phone and began to play a game, moving with the line. A shuffling in front made her glance up and she saw that she was in line behind a young boy, maybe 8 years old. He was a cute kid with a mop of dark curls and tanned skin. In his hands he held a pair of shoes and he was looking impatiently towards the front of the line. Clarke didn’t see anyone with him so she decided to keep an eye on him just in case. 

 

The line moved fairly quickly and soon it was the boy’s turn and he placed the shoe box gently onto the counter. The guy behind the counter smiled at the boy. “What can I do for you?”

 

The boy’s face was solemn as he looked up. “Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, please. It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size. Could you hurry, sir? Daddy says there’s not much time. You see, she’s been sick for quite a while and I know these shoes would make her smile. And I want her to look beautiful if mama meets Jesus tonight.”

 

Tears rapidly filled  Clarke’s eyes and she looked from the boy to the man behind the counter. She watched as panic ran across his face, eyes wide as he tried to figure out how to respond. After a moment he just nodded and scanned the shoes, placing them into a bag. “That will be $22.50.”

 

The boy pulled a wad of bills from his pocket, handing them to the cashier before pulling a handful of change and laid it on the counter. The cashier counted it as quickly as he could, but it still took time. When the next lane cleared Clarke waved the person behind her to go. There was just something about  t his little boy that made her want to make sure that he was okay. She didn’t know if it was because he was so young or if it was the story that she had just heard, but she needed to make sure that he made it home with those shoes.

 

The cashier finished counting and then looked up slowly at the boy. “I’m sorry, son, but this isn’t enough. You need another $10.79.”

 

The boy reached into his pockets and pulled until they were turned inside out. “I don’t have anymore. Please sir, I need to get these shoes to my mama.”

 

Clarke’s heart broke as she watched a single tear fall down the boy’s cheek. She couldn’t  take it anymore. How the cashier could just stand there after hearing the boy’s story and demand more money she couldn’t understand. She walked forward and pushed her stuff onto the counter. “Here, just add it on with my stuff and I’ll pay the difference.” She smiled down at the boy who just stared up at her. “We’ve got  to  make sure that your mom gets those shoes, right?”

 

The boy nodded. “Thank you, ma’am.”

 

“What good manners you have.” Clarke turned to the cashier and handed him her card once he had finished ringing up her purchases. Once they were done she handed the boy the bag with the shoes in it.

 

“Thank you again, ma’am. My mama is going to love these shoes and she's going to look beautiful.” He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Daddy says mama could go to meet Jesus tonight and I wanna make sure that she looks her most beautiful.”

 

Clarke's smile was sad as she nodded. Her own dad had died when she wasn't much older than this boy, although he died in a car accident so they'd had no warning. “Well, why don't I drive you home so that you get there faster?”

 

The boy looked nervous for a moment. “Daddy says to never get into a car with a stranger.”

 

“That is a very good rule.” Clarke nodded as she reached into her bag. “But I bet you know my mom, Dr. Abby?”

 

The boy nodded. “I go see her when I'm sick.”

 

Clarke showed him a photo of herself and Abby. “I'm actually working there now so next time you have to go to the doctor's you'll probably see me.” She hands him the name tag that her mom had made for her. “I'm Clarke….well Dr. Clarke.”

 

The boy nodded before handing his phone back. “It's nice to meet you, Dr. Clarke. My name is Gus.” 

 

He held his hand out and Clarke's smile grew as she took it into her own and shook it. “So now that I'm not longer a stranger, how about that ride home?”

 

Gus nodded and slowly followed Clarke to her car. He climbed in after she opened the door for him, quickly doing up his seat belt. 

 

Once Clarke was settled in she turned to him. “So which way are we going?”

 

Gus gave her directions that were easy to follow and as she followed the route she could feel her stomach dropping. She'd been on this route many times before, starting on her bike when she was only seven. Then from the time she was sixteen until she was eighteen it had been driving in a car. 

 

“That's it! Right there! The blue one on the right.” Gus pointed with one hand while the other held onto the shoes.

 

The house that he pointed to was the one that she had visited pretty much daily for eleven years. Her best friend had lived there. Her best friend and her biggest regret had both lived there. Octavia and Bellamy Blake. But what were the chances that either of them still lived there? She sighed as she parked the car in the driveway before glancing at Gus again. 

 

He smiled at her and she knew without a doubt who this boy belonged to.

 

“Augustus Oliver Blake!”

 

The smile slid from Gus’s face and turned into a grimace. “Uh oh.”

 

Uh oh indeed. Clarke turned slowly, her heart racing and her stomach dropping until her eyes met his. Bellamy Blake. Of course the kid that she'd helped out was Bellamy’s, because that was just how her life had been going lately.

 

Octavia and Bellamy had moved to Arkadia when Octavia had been six and Bellamy twelve. Clarke and Octavia had met on the playground when Clarke had jumped in when four girls from her class had been picking on Octavia. She was a grade below them and Clarke did not like bullies. Both Octavia and Clarke had been suspended for three days after beating up the four girls. They were inseparable after that.

 

Bellamy had put up with Clarke, because she made Octavia smile. There was nothing that Bellamy wouldn't have done for his baby sister, even dealing with the entitled princess that she had decided was her best friend.

 

Aurora Blake had died when Octavia was 13 and Bellamy had dropped out of college to come home and take care of Octavia. It had been a hard few years for the Blakes, but Clarke was there for Octavia every step of the way. She didn't even think of it as repayment for the year that Octavia had spent by her side after her dad had died. She'd just thought of it as being a good friend.

 

It was around this time that Bellamy had begun to view Clarke in a different light. He no longer thought of her as an entitled princess, but instead as a good friend to his hurting little sister. 

 

Bellamy had been her first crush, but with the age difference she knew that nothing would ever come of it, but he was her hero and the person that she always looked up to once her dad had passed away.

 

The night of her graduation things had really changed between them. She and Octavia had gone to a party to celebrate Clarke's graduation, even though Octavia still had another year. They'd gotten a ride from Finn, the boy that she'd been seeing for the last few months.

 

Unfortunately it had turned out that she wasn't the only girl that Finn had been seeing. He'd apparently been dating Raven Reyes, one of the most badass women Clarke had ever met, for the last few years. It wasn't common knowledge, but Clarke had still felt like an idiot. 

 

Octavia had called Bellamy to pick them up, because Clarke had been a mess. He'd picked them up and then held Clarke the whole night as she told him what had happened. From that night on she'd started spending just as much time with Bellamy as she had with Octavia.

 

It was mid July the first time that they'd slept together. Clarke had been pretty sure that she'd been half in love with Bellamy already, but in that moment she knew that she loved him with everything that was in her. But he'd pushed her away, refusing to speak to her for weeks. 

 

**July 2005**

Clarke didn't want to get out of bed and she hadn't for the last two weeks unless someone had dragged her out. Her heart was broken and she couldn't even talk to her best friend about it. She was miserable.

 

A knock on her door caused her to startle. “My head hurts. Just leave me alone.”

 

There was a pause before another knock. Damn it, she just wanted to be left alone. “Go away!”

 

“Princess?”

 

Clarke froze, her mind racing. Bellamy hadn't answered her calls or texts since that night so what the hell was he doing here now?

 

“Can I come in please?” There was another pause. “C’mon, princess. We need to talk.”

 

“It's open.” Her voice was hoarse as she fought back tears. She didn't even stop to think about how much of a mess she must look. All she could think about was her confusion and the pain that hearing his voice had caused.

 

The door pushed open and suddenly there he was. His dark curls were a mess as if he'd been running his hands through it, a nervous habit of his. He looked exhausted and he was wearing his glasses. His face fell when he took her  in , curled up in her bed with her arms wrapped around herself.

 

“Princess….” It was barely a whisper, but it was enough for the sobs to break free from Clarke’s chest and the tears to fall down her cheeks. Bellamy was across the room and on the bed in seconds, pulling her into his arms. “Shhhh...shhhh...I'm sorry, princess. I am so sorry.”

 

Once she was able to finally calm herself she laid still in his arms for just a moment before pulling away slightly to look at him. There were tear streaks on his face and she reached up to wipe them from his face. “Why are you here, Bell?”

 

“To apologize for being such an ass. I'm sorry that I've been ignoring you. I just…” Bellamy broke off, looking away from her. “I should never have taken advantage of you the way I did and I just didn't know how to face you after that.”

 

“You took advantage of me?” Clarke thought she was beginning to understand, but he had to be sure.

 

“Of course I did. You're only 18 and I'm 23. I had no business sleeping with you, taking advantage of you that way.”

 

Clarke started to laugh and couldn't bring herself to stop even when Bellamy turned to look at her as if she'd grown two heads. “Oh, Bell. You didn't take advantage of me.” She shifted her weight until she was kneeling before him, placing her hands on his cheeks. “I set out to seduce you that night.”

 

“You what?” A slight blush rose up on Bellamy's cheeks as he stared at her in awe.

 

“I set out to seduce you. I've been in love with you since I was like 10. I'd hoped that since I was 18 then maybe you could forget that you'd know n me since I was seven. Maybe look at me like a woman. I wanted to sleep with you, Bell. I wanted - no, I  _ want _ to be with you.”

 

Bellamy just stared at her, his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. Clarke slid her hands into his hair and leaned towards him slowly, giving him time to pull back. Instead of pulling back his arms slid around her, pulling her flush against him and his lips crashed down onto hers. The kiss was short, but passionate.

 

Bellamy pulled back with a smile on his face, pressing his forehead to hers. “I love you, too, Princess. I've been fighting it for so long…”

 

“Well, let's not fight it any longer.”

 

It surprised no one when they announced that they were dating. The only resistance that they met with was when Abby asked Clarke what their plan was when she went away for college. Clarke had just shrugged and said that they'd figure it out when they time came. They still had months until September and they were in love; they could handle anything that life threw at them. At least that was what she had thought.

 

It was at the end of August when Bellamy showed up at her door, pale faced and shaking.

 

“Bell? What's going on?” Clarke's eyes widened when she opened the door, pulling him into the house and into her arms.

 

Bellamy wrapped his arms around Clarke as sobs shook his body. “I'm sorry…”

 

“For what, Bell?”

 

Bellamy didn't say anything, just continued to cling to Clarke as he cried. Eventually his tears dried up and the shaking stopped, but Clarke continued to just hold him.

 

Finally Bellamy pulled back, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. “Can we talk in the living room?”

 

Clarke shrugged. “Sure. That's fine.” She trailed behind him, her confusion mounting. She was terrified about what could have Bellamy acting this way. And why wouldn't he look at her? She just needed to know what the hell was going on.

 

Bellamy settled into the couch, patting the spot next to him. Clarke sat down sliding her hand into his and tried to meet his eyes, but he still refused to look at her.

 

“You remember Gina?”

 

“The girl you were seeing just before we got together?”

 

Bellamy nodded. “Yeah…”

 

“Sure, she was super nice. What about her.”

 

“Well, it turns out she's pregnant…” He paused and swallowed. “And it's mine.”

 

Tears filled Clarke's eyes. “Oh, Bell... that's…”

 

“We have to break up, Clarke.”

 

“What?” Clarke yelled as she stood up, yanking her hand from his. “What the hell are you talking about?”

 

“It's my kid, Clarke. I'm going to do the right thing and marry her.”

 

The tears began to fall down Clarke's cheeks as she just looked at Bellamy who was staring down at his hands, his jaw clenched. Her heart was breaking into a million pieces. It was breaking for herself and the chance that she and Bellamy would never have. But it was also breaking for Bellamy who was going to throw away his happiness to marry a girl he did not love, because she was pregnant with his child. 

 

Clarke leaned forward running a hand along Bellamy's jaw. “I love you, Bellamy Blake and I understand why you think you have to do this, but I hope you understand why I need you to leave and not come back. Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't contact me. When it doesn't hurt so much I will try to reach out to you, but until then I wish you the best.”

 

For the first time since he had walked into her house Bellamy looked up at Clarke and all of the naked pain was there for her to see. He just nodded as he stood. He leaned over and kissed her forehead for a moment before heading towards the door.

 

He paused with his hand on the door and turned back towards her. “I love you with all of my heart, Clarke. Never forget that.” And then he was gone.

 

**Present Day**

Clarke stared at Bellamy for a moment and all she could think was that he hadn't changed much in 12 years except that he'd gotten more attractive. 

 

She startled when she heard the back door shut, quickly shutting off the car and climbing out herself.

 

She walked up to where Bellamy was kneeling in front of Gus, the young boy wrapped in his arms. “I'm sorry, Daddy. I just had to get the shoes for Mommy before the store closed and you couldn't take me.”

 

“Gus, you can't just go places on your own.” Bellamy's tone was exasperated as he pulled back to look at his son. “I was worried sick.” He jumped a little as he realized that there was someone else standing there and fell flat on his ass when he realized who it was. “Clarke?”

 

Clarke gave him a small smile. “Hi Bell.”

 

Gus’s grin lit up his whole face. “You know my Daddy? Does that mean you know my Mommy?”

 

“She's met Mommy a few times a long time ago, bud. She doesn't really know her. Why don't you go inside while I talk to Clarke?”

 

Gus nodded. “Ok, Daddy. Thank you for the ride Clarke.”

 

Clarke watched as he ran inside before turning her attention back to Bellamy. 

 

“So how is it that you ended up bringing my son home?”

 

“Well, I didn't know he was your son to begin with. I didn't realize that until I pulled up to the house.” Clarke shrugged. “I was at the store behind him in line and I heard him tell the cashier that he was there to buy a pair of shoes for his mom, because his dad said she might die tonight. He didn't have enough money so I helped him out and then I dr o ve him home.”

 

Bellamy's face fell. “I hate that he's  being forced to grow up so fast. Thank you Clarke.”

 

“It's no problem.” Clarke paused. “I'm sorry about Gina.”

 

“Yeah it's hard for Gus…” Bellamy broke off, his eyes shooting up to meet hers. “But we're divorced.”

 

Clarke's mouth dropped open and she tried to figure out what to say.

 

Bellamy stepped closer, taking her hands into his. “You know she lost the baby shortly after we got married, right?” He shrugged when she shook her head. “You were already gone and we were already married so we just stayed that way. Eventually she got pregnant with Gus, but when he turned one we decided that there was no point in us being married. It wasn't making either of us happy. She didn't love me and I was still in love with someone else.”

 

Clarke's eyes were wide as she swallowed. “Still?”

 

“Yes, still. Did you think I was just going to stop?”

 

“I figured that you were going to fall in love with Gina when she became the mother of your children.” Clarke looked away, not wanting Bellamy to see the pain in her eyes.

 

Bellamy put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look back at him. “I could never love anyone the way that I love you.” And then his lips were on hers and it was just like it had been 12 years before.

 

Both were breathing hard when they pulled back. “I really do need to get back inside.” Bellamy sighed. “I'd love it if you could come by tomorrow.”

 

Clarke couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. “Sure.” She pulled her phone out and handed it to him. “Just put your number in and I'll text you.”

 

Bellamy quickly put his number in and then pulled her in for another kiss. “I'm so glad that you were the one in line behind Gus tonight.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I really needed this tonight. I really needed you.”

 

“Me too.” Clarke closed her eyes for a moment before pulling away and getting into her car. She lifted her hand in farewell and pulled the car into the street. She dr o ve home in a daze. 

 

There was no way that she could have known when she left home that this what was going to happen. But this was the best Christmas gift she could've asked for. She couldn't wait to see Bellamy (and Gus) again.


End file.
